NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Ray Lewis #52 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates following their 34-31 win against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Ray Lewis #52 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates following their 34-31 win against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3,

NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers walks off the field after losing against the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers walks off the field after losing against the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3,

San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed (20) during the first half of NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, in New Orleans.

San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed (20) during the first half of NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, in New Orleans.

Photo: Charlie Riedel

Purple reign

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NEW ORLEANS — No one official would accept the blame, so perhaps it was Beyonce who knocked out the power with her super-charged halftime show that electrified the Superdome crowd and reenergized the San Francisco 49ers.

Trailing the Baltimore Ravens 28-6 when the power outage delayed Super Bowl XLVII for 33 minutes and 55 seconds in the third quarter, the 49ers rallied and almost pulled off a miraculous come-from-behind victory Sunday.

In a wild, wacky game that offered something for everyone, the 49ers ran out of downs on the Ravens' 5-yard line with 1:46 remaining, securing a 34-31 victory for Baltimore that gave linebacker Ray Lewis his second Lombardi Trophy as a going-away present.

"Can you imagine, the final series of Ray Lewis' career was a goal-line stand for the Lombardi Trophy," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said in the winning dressing room. "It doesn't get any better than that."

Before Lewis could have his last dance, the Ravens made sure there was some excitement. Harbaugh took a safety with 4 seconds left, but he couldn't escape with the victory over his brother, Jim Harbaugh, until the Ravens pulled down Ted Ginn Jr., with no time left after the free kick.

"The ultimate cake," is how outside linebacker Terrell Suggs described Lewis' last game. "There will never be another leader like him. His legacy will go untamed."

It was the Ravens' second Super Bowl victory, and Lewis was part of both. The first one came against the Giants after the 2000 season.

"This is the greatest feeling ever," Lewis said. "How else can you finish that off but with a goal-line stand?"

Quarterback Joe Flacco was voted the Most Valuable Player. He completed 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns – all in the first half.

"Joe showed the guts of a burglar," John Harbaugh said.

Before the delay less than two minutes after Beyonce's halftime show, the Ravens dominated the 49ers, 28-6. Flacco's touchdown passes included a 56-yarder to receiver Jacoby Jones, a New Orleans native with family and friends in attendance.

When Jones returned the second-half kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown and the 28-6 advantage, a Baltimore rout appeared to be on. Then came the power outage.

"Both teams had to deal with it," John Harbaugh said. "Actually, I thought they dealt with it better, obviously. They were able to turn the momentum of the game."

San Francisco, led by second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick, turned the game into one of the most memorable Super Bowls in history.

The Ravens' defense did an exceptional job in the first half against Kaepernick and the 49ers' pistol offense. Baltimore shut down San Francisco's running game, limiting Frank Gore to 29 yards on 11 carries and keeping Kaepernick from getting his team into the end zone.

The 49ers had to settle for two David Akers field goals, while Flacco was lighting up their defense with touchdown passes to receiver Anquan Boldin (13 yards) and tight end Dennis Pitta (1 yard) and Jones, who made a magnificent play on his 56-yarder.

Jones got behind the coverage, but Flacco's pass was short. Jones caught the ball, fell while the defender went over him, got up and outmaneuvered the 49ers into the end zone for a 21-6 halftime score.

Jones, who returned three kicks for touchdowns during the regular season and was voted to the Pro Bowl, took the second-half kickoff up the middle and outran the 49ers for the 22-point advantage.

"We had a ton of momentum and had everything rolling," Pitta said about the Ravens before the power outage. "Then the power went out, and it felt like we were waiting for an hour.

"We lost our momentum, and give credit to them, because they came storming back."

The stunning turn of events began with Kaepernick's 31-yard touchdown to his favorite target, Michael Crabtree.

Fans could sense the momentum changing. When Gore scored on a 6-yard run to make it 28-20 with 4:59 left in the third quarter, San Francisco fans became hysterical.

Before the third quarter was over, Akers' 34-yard field goal pulled the 49ers within 28-23.

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker responded with a 19-yard field goal to increase the lead to 31-23. Then Kaepernick broke free around left end and didn't pull up until his 15-yard touchdown made it 31-29 with 9:57 remaining.

The Ravens didn't score a touchdown in the second half, but they did get two field goals from Tucker, the second a 38-yarder that boosted Baltimore's lead to 34-29 with 4:19 left.

Then Kaepernick and Gore ignited a drive that gave them a first down at the Baltimore 8-yard line after Gore's 32-yard run.

The 49ers gained 3 yards. They never got within the 5-yard line. On fourth down, defensive coordinator Dean Pees called for a blitz, and Kaepernick had to throw the ball toward Crabtree before getting drilled. The pass was incomplete, and Harbaugh was screaming for defensive holding on the sideline, but no flags appeared.